Selected quad for the lemma: master_n
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A02672
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[A sermon preached at Hitchin in ...] 1587. the 17.day of Nouember [...]
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Harris, Edward, fl. 1587-1590.
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1590
(1590)
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STC 12804; ESTC S112492
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25,711
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84
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A SERMON PREACHED AT HITCHIN IN THE yeare of our Lord 1587 the 17 day of November being the first day of the 29 yeare of the Queenes Maiesties reigne By Edward Harris Master of Arts and Preacher of this word of God Printed at London by Iohn Morris I.B. dwelling in S. Iohns streete 1590. TO THE FAITHFVLL AND BELOVED IN THE Lord his brethren knowne to him in Hertford-shire grace and peace in Christ Iesu THere are novv three yeeres passed since at the request of some I communicated this sermon of mine in vvriting to those vvhich not long after obtained for it allovvance to go abroad in print and novv at the last it having receiued the fruite of that allovvance I offer it vnto as many of you as desire to profite by the remembrance of that vvhich yee once heard before Vse it I beseech you to that end for vvhich I first spake it and novv offer it vnto you that is to your further building vp in the feare of our God and honour of our Soueraigne If you remember any more than is here set dovvne vse that also to the same end and laying a part all vanities of the vvorld set your minds on those things vvhich may profite in the day of the visitation of all flesh The grace of our God be vvith you From my chamber at North Mimmes this 16 of October 1590. E. H. Feare God Honor the King I. Peter 2. THE sweete showers which fel in the forenoone deerely beloued in Christ Iesu might if the ground of your hearts be not brasse or adamant not only cause the seed of the word which ye haue so often receiued to bring forth in you the herbe of an holy profession and fruite of an holy life but moreouer besides that might make way to the better planting of any other good and godly instruction in your minds I doubt not but ye keepe in remembrance the summe of that which hath bene taught namely both who is the author of your deliuerance from all your enimies to wit not the arme of flesh but God himselfe and also by what meanes he hath brought this to passe to wit by the godly and Christian gouernment of our gracious soueraigne the annointed messenger of the Lord in this behalfe and as I doubt not but yee remember these things so I charitablie perswade my selfe that yee make enquirie and demande of your owne soules by what dueties towards God the author and by what reuerence toward the Prince the instrument of this our common safetie and welfare ye may shew your selues thankfull receiuers of so great a benefite Harken therefore what the spirite of God which is in him and onely knoweth the minde and will of God requireth of you by the mouth of saint Peter For his owne selfe he seeketh no more at your hands but that yee feare him For the person of his annointed he exacteth nothing else but that ye honour her For so saith the holy Apostle 1. Epist Chap. 2. Feare God saith he and Honor the king For the first of these two it is no new commandement but an ancient and old precept renewed as being a matter of christian obedience required in both Testaments Moses the lawgiuer of Israel Leuit. 19. 14. saith to the inheritance of the Lord the children which came out of th loynes of Iacob Thoushalt feare saith he the Lord thy God Againe Leuit. 25. 17. he saith Let euerie one feare his God Likewise Deuter. 20. he chargeth them saying Follow the Lord your God and feare ye him Our Sauiour Christ Luk. 12. teacheth men to feare him who after he hath killed the bodie can cast the soule into hell fire that is God And besides this place of saint Peter saint Iohn also Reuelations the fourteenth and the seuenth hauing seene and Angell flying thorough the midst of heauen which had an euerlasting Gospel to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth euen to euery nation and kinred and tongue and people testifieth howe this Angel cried with a lowd voice saying Feare God and giue glorie to him Wherefore sith wee are compassed with such a cloud of most glorious and faithfull witnesses make your reckoning how ye heare not me but Moses Christ Peter Iohn and the Angels of heauen crying vnto you Feare God Some will say peraduenture all this needeth not there is none here we hope but feare God truely Well brethren to the lavv and to the testimonie let that be our iudge our owne consciences witnesses whether the true feare of God which is here commanded by the holy ghost be in the greatest part of men now adayes To know then whether we be endewed with this true and earnest feare of God or no there are among other three especiall wayes whereby ye shal certainly know the same The first way is the birth of it For if the feare of God that is in you come out of that spring and be bred in that sort as true feare is then haue you cause to reioice The second is by the naturall and liuely effectes of the same feare For doubtlesse euerie thing especially the motions of Gods spirite working not counterfaitly but according to it owne nature it must needs be a false and bastardly feare of God which vttereth not it selfe in conuenient measure by the proper effects of true feare The third way is by such things as vnseparably follow and accompanie the true feare of God which S. Peter speaketh of For the first way yee must obserue know that the earnest feare of God springeth and proceedeth of a right and reuerend knowledge and meditation of the surpassing power bottomlesse wise dome infallible prouidence vndefiled iustice incomparable goodnes and other such heauenly attributes of Gods nature as the scripture giueth vnto it For when the consideration of mans mind is truely fixed and set vpon the inward view beholding of these things the glorie of them is such that it doth strike possesse the heart with an vnfained reuerence of that person who is of such a nature as by so glorious names employing so great and wonderfull effects is rather pointed at than fullie defined This that I say is manifest by the tenth chapter of the Prophet Ieremie For considering how none was like to the Lord in power how he was great and incomparablie wiser then all the prudent men of the nations and how none was like to him in all the kingdomes of the world to shew what this meditation bredde in him and what it worketh in all the children of God he bursteth forth into these words Who shall not feare thee O king of nations As if he should say that whosoeuer did rightly meditate and studie vpon these things could not but hereby grow into a true feare of God or at the least that the vnfained and true feare of God springeth hereupon Prouided alwayes that we take this view by the word of God onely and not by the fancie or imagination